By Chris Chikelue
Anambra State Ministry of Health has commenced a 4-Day workshop on Health Promotion Strategic Framework Costed Implementation Plan in Awka.
The initiative according to the ministry was necessitated by the need to address fragmented health promotion efforts, diluted messaging and their impact on population health outcomes.
It therefore called for intensified health education and public awareness to enable residents make informed decisions about their health and seek appropriate medical care when needed.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike represented by the Director, Public Health, Dr. Afam Anaeme made the calls at the opening of discussions at the Workshop which will run from August 10 to 13.
The four-day workshop, which began on Monday and billed to end on Thursday, is being organized by the Anambra State Ministry of Health in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the World Health Organisation (WHO), through the Health Promotion Unit. GeographicReference
The Ministry through the commissioner advocated a stronger health education system in the state, “for effective health promotion and communication are essential to improving health outcomes and reducing preventable deaths”.
Dr. Obidike said that it is unnecessary to rely in prayers and prayer houses in situations requiring urgent medical attention.
“There was an incident in which an accident victim, a school child, was not responding to any stimulus after the accident, but rather than taking the child to a nearby hospital, people around the scene took him to a prayer house.
“Such practices could have fatal consequences on lives; while prayer is important it should not replace appropriate medical intervention especially during emergencies.
“Such tragedies underscores the need for sustained health education so that people would understand the importance of following qualified medical advice,” he said.
He, therefore, urged stakeholders at the workshop to develop a practical and comprehensive health promotion framework that would effectively address the state’s health communication needs.
The workshop is expected to contribute to the domestication of the national strategic framework on health promotion and communication and produce a coordinated five-year framework to guide health promotion activities across Anambra State. GeographicReference
